MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 SPORTS

Red alert as Urawa India’s sports stars Colabello suspended for go top in Japan dismayed at Khan move 80 games after drug test

TOKYO: Urawa Reds served notice of their title credentials yesterday when NEW DELHI: India’s sports stars reacted with dismay yester- TORONTO: Blue Jays first baseman Chris Colabello was suspended Friday for they edged Kawasaki Frontale 1-0 away to go top of the J-League. Japan’s best- day after Bollywood’s Salman Khan was appointed goodwill 80 games without pay after testing positive for the same anabolic steroid that supported side ended Kawasaki’s unbeaten record when Yuki Muto smashed ambassador for India’s Olympic team in the Rio Games later caused Philadelphia pitcher Daniel Stumpf to be disciplined last week. The home the winner 10 minutes into the second half. It completed a perfect week this year. Khan, who was cleared last year of killing a home- commissioner’s office said Colabello tested positive for dehydrochlormethyl- for the Reds after they reached the knockout stage of the Asian Champions less man in a hit-and-run crash, was named by the Indian testosterone, which is sold under the name Turinabol. “On March 13, I got one League. They improved to 19 points from eight games in the first of the J- Olympic Association (IOA) on Saturday to boost public sup- of the scariest and most definitely the least-expected phone calls of my entire League’s two stages. Kawasaki have 17 points with Kashima Antlers stuck on 16 port for the team in a country obsessed with cricket. But life. I was informed by the players’ association that a banned sub- in third place after they were upset 2-0 at home by Kashiwa Reysol. “We con- Olympic wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt questioned how a film star stance was found in my urine,” Colabello said in a statement trolled the game well and kept looking to attack,” said Reds coach was qualified to promote the country’s athletes, suggesting released by the union. “I have spent every waking moment Mihailo Petrovic. “Many people thought Kawasaki were a more the appointment of well-known sports persons instead- since that day trying to find an answer as to why or how?” attacking team than us, so I look forward to reading the analysis including those who had represented their country. The suspension means Colabello would be ineligible for of journalists in tomorrow’s papers.” Japan striker Takashi Usami “Everybody has the right to promote movies in India, but postseason play should the Blue Jays reach the playoffs again gave 2014 treble winners Gamba Osaka a lift following their Olympics is not a place to promote films,” Dutt, who won this season. It also means Colabello will fall short of the service Asian Champions League elimination, scoring a late winner in a bronze at the 2012 Olympics in London, said on Twitter. “Can time required to become eligible for salary arbitration next 1-0 victory at hapless Avispa Fukuoka. Reigning Japanese cham- anyone tell me what is the role of good will ambassador? Why winter. Colabello is hitting .069 (2 for 29) with one RBI this pions Sanfrecce Hiroshima climbed to fourth on 14 points after a are you fooling the public?” he said. Khan’s appointment season. While he was beaned by Boston pitcher double from Nigerian-born striker Peter Utaka gave them a 2-1 comes months before the release of his new film “Sultan” in Steven Wright last Sunday, he missed only one win away to Yokohama F-Marinos.—AFP which he plays a wrestler.— AFP game. —AP

ABK sponsors soccer tourney for special needs schools

KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) yester- Yarmouk Sports Club in Mishref on 13th encourage individuals with special needs to Hani School to conclude the game for the with special needs in the Kuwaiti society as day announced its successful sponsorship of April, witnessed the participation of students engage in sports activities. The exciting season. The first place went to Kuwait part of its CSR strategy for 2016. It will contin- Kuwait Educational Academy Football from different special needs schools. event featured a final football game between Educational Academy School. ABK supports ue to play an active role in supporting this Tournament. The event, hosted in the The tournament was held in an effort to Kuwait Educational Academy School and Om initiatives that focus on engaging individuals segment through similar opportunities. Poels claims first Monument for Sky

ANS: Wout Poels handed Team Sky their to pull past as Sanchez wilted and Costa first ever Monument success by winning settled for third. Liege-Bastogne-Liege yesterday. While Sky “I did a little dig, it was a good one,” said had established themselves as perhaps the Poels of the final uphill drag before the dominant outfit since their cre- tight left-hand bend that ushered in the ation in 2010, winning the Tour de France finish. “After the corner I went full (gas) and three times in four years with Bradley it worked!” A seven-man breakaway braved Wiggins and , they had never the cold, snow, rain and even hail at times mastered the biggest one-day classics. on a miserable day to be spending almost That all changed yesterday as Poels out- six and a half hours in the saddle. Inside sprinted Switzerland’s Michael Albasini and the final 50km, the breakaway group, Rui Costa of Portugal at the end of the gru- which at one point held a 10-minute lead, elling 248km Ardennes classic raced in started to split up. freezing conditions that included showers On the tough La Redoute climb 40km of snow at times. “It’s really nice, I’m really from the finish, there were just two left in happy. I honestly can’t believe that I won Alessandro De Marchi and Nicolas Edet. today, so I’m really happy,” Poels told But Valverde’s Movistar team were turn- Belgian TV after his win. “The weather was ing the screw in the chasing peloton. De even snowing, it was a really hard day. “I Marchi and Edet held on until 24km left like the last (categorised) climb, we got having spent more than 200km in the lead away there. It was really hard conditions. as Etixx took up the pace-setting for Julien “I didn’t feel super any more but every- Alaphilippe and , second and body was really tired.” The route had to be third respectively behind Valverde at the altered due to the treacherous conditions midweek Fleche Wallonne race. caused by snow, with 5km from the original They would eventually have to settle for course removed and a 30km section 22nd and 46th respectively, with Martin through a forest bypassed. almost two minutes off the pace. Onto the Albasini made an attack on the final cat- Cote de la Roche-aux-Faucon with 20km egorised climb on the hilly course, the Cote left, the field really started breaking up. de Rue Naniot with around 2.5km left. With 18km to go Colombian Carlos Costa, Samuel Sanchez and Poels were Betancur-a team-mate of Valverde-went on the only riders able to follow that dig as the attack but was reeled in 2km later. pre-race favourite -a On Saint-Nicolas Russian Ilnur Zakarin three-time former winner-was caught out. and Italian Diego Rosa got a gap but it did- Valverde finished down in 15th at 12sec. n’t last long either. It was Albasini who finally made a significant attack stick with JAREZ DE LA FRONTERA: Moto GP riders Valentino Rossi of Italy, center, Jorge Lorenzo of Spain, left, and Marc Marquez, also of Spain, pose with ‘Good little dig’ just three riders able to stay with him. Many a flag of Japan on the podium of the MotoGP race of Spain’s Motorcycle Grand Prix at the Jerez race track in Jerez de la Frontera, southern Poels first attacked the leading group of felt he’d be the best sprinter come the fin- Spain, yesterday. Rossi won the race, Lorenzo was second and Marquez third. — AP four on the final drag up to the finish in the ish but specialist climber Poels simply Liege suburb of Ans before opening out proved fresher. the sprint in the final 250m and holding on “He did a great sprint,” Albasini said of to win in 6hr 24min 29sec. Albasisni tucked Poels. “After 250km it’s freshness that in behind him but didn’t have the strength counts more than a sprinter’s ability.” —AFP Masterful Rossi wins Spanish Grand Prix

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA: Valentino Rossi this was his first success since 2009. “I think the race with a big margin, but because of led from start to finish with a masterly ride to this was the perfect weekend because we the spinning I couldn’t do more and I had to win the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez yesterday start to go faster from Friday morning,” slow down to finish the race.” Marquez was ahead of world championship rivals Jorge added Rossi. momentarily pushed down to fourth at the Lorenzo and Marc Marquez. “We worked very well with the bike, dur- start by his Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa, Rossi remains third in the MotoGP stand- ing the race it was fantastic, so I have to but quickly recovered to ensure his place on ings despite his first win in 10 races, but the thank all the team, especially my crew.” the podium for the fourth time in as many Italian moves to within 24 points of champi- Rossi’s fast start ensured there was no drama races this season. And the two-time world onship leader Marquez and seven points of at the first corner before gradually pulling champion was happy to settle for third on a Yamaha teammate Lorenzo. away to win by over two seconds. However, weekend where he struggled to match the Victory in Spain was especially sweet for Lorenzo was left frustrated at a tyre problem pace of the Yamahas. “I pushed behind Rossi after he lost out on the title last year in he believed cost him victory. Lorenzo, but I tried one, two, three times the final race of the season in Valencia amid “Rossi was a bit faster than me in the then I thought, ok, 16 points is good for the claims Marquez had deliberately obstructed beginning of the race, but in the middle I championship and those two guys were Rossi in the final races of the season to aid could keep the distance and when I was faster today,” he said. his compatriot Lorenzo’s title challenge. catching him suddenly the tyres on the “The most important thing is that we are ANS: Wouter Poels of Team Sky celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the “I had good pace, I had a good start and a straight when I went through the gears start- leading the championship, so for that reason Liege-Bastogne-Liege cycling classic in Ans, Belgium yesterday. Michael Albasini of win like this is a special taste,” said Rossi. The ing spinning like I had a wet tyre,” he said. I am happy. “In front of all these fans I the Orica Greenedge team placed second and Rui Costa of the Lampre Merida team seven-time world champion has now won “It is a pity because at the end of the race I expected a better race, but today was impos- finished third. —AP nine races across all categories in Jerez, but was very strong and I could probably won sible.” —AFP